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1998 - NT News Article

"A Darwin man has told how he fled in fear of an "ape-like creature" scurrying on two legs near the Adelaide River bridge on the Arnhem Highway. Carpenter Darryl Campbell 32, was driving along the Arnhem Highway on the Adelaide River floodplains at 10pm last Wednesday when he sighted the yeti-like beast in the bush. He and a friend slowed down when their vehicle approached it. He said "It was like a bloody big gorilla or ape.

It was crouched down on the ground and hobbled along holding grass and other junk in its hands".He said it stood about the height of a man and he pulled his vehicle over as a group of European touristshad also stopped. He said "They saw it too and stopped to ask what it was. They were shaken up. I turned and drove back towards the animal but got scared and tore off myself". Mr Campbell said the group of tourists reported the sighting to Transport and Works Department traiffc controllers at the Adelaide River bridge.

" The Litchfield Times (clip undated, probably late November 1998) reported it as follows:

"A creature reportedly seen at Adelaide River Bridge on Wednesday is similar to one seen at Acacia Hills in August last year. Darwin man, Darryl Campbell was one of several people who saw the creature near the bridge at 10 pm on Wednesday.

Describing the creature as a "bloody big gorilla", Mr Campbell said it "crouched on the ground and hobbled along". A group of tourists who also saw the creature told traffic controllers from the Transport and Works department at the bridge what they saw.

The report is similar to other sightings throughout the rural area spanning a number of years, describing the creature as a yowie. Berry Springs man, Richard Kinglsey saw a similar creature twice, spanning three years between the Elizabeth River Bridge and the crocodile farm. The Acacia Hills sighting was reported as a large hairy animal which reeked.

A farmer, hearing screeching rode along her fencline, thinking she'd find an animal stuck in her fence, only to see a strange animal running along the road. Footprints were found along the fenceline later in the morning but wildlife expert Ian Morris and Museums and Art Galleries taxidermist Jenny Risler could not identify the prints.

A week after the sighting at Acacia Hills, NSW traveller, Douglas Evans wrote a letter to the Centralian Advocate in Alice Springs reporting on a "mysterious creature" he and his wife saw near Alice Springs. Part of his letter read: "We weren't able to see any features or colour but think it was quite dark and may have had short hair or fur."